Here's the ongoing story of a global dialogue that celebrates people at the heart of what we want to do as residents of a particularly stunning globe. As locals and visitors, we have new ways to connect.

Background

One of Planeta.com's tentpoleevents, Responsible Travel Week (February 8-14, 2016) manifests our commitment toward effective communication and collaboration. Responsible travel is not an ethical dilemma of whether to have fun or be responsible. We can do both!

What's new in 2016? Let's look at technical innovations AND highlights of local responsible and irresponsible travel.

Technical: We're asking friends and colleagues to make the most of live video. Check out the Periscope app. Use Live Video on Facebook. Watch or join a conversation on YouTube Also, learn how to edit a wiki! More social web challenges below.

Let's learn how to use new technologies, how to combine high tech with face-to-face gatherings. In education this is called 'blended learning.' Why shouldn't we do the same in travel and travel conferences?

Fall in love with responsible travel and let us know your plans and level of engagement. Schedule your own event or stage a viewing party. What participants get out of an event depends on what's put in. Start the year on a clean slate. We recommend budgeting time before, during and after the week to make the most of networking opportunities. If you introduce your interests and interact with others even a modest investment of time can pay off spectacularly with new ideas and contacts. Be inspired and be inspiring!

Flickr

Google Doc

Twitter

How to get involved

Engaged participation in any event (online and on the ground) requires a commitment and a certain degree of curiosity. On this wiki page you'll find specific suggestions on what you can do before, during and after the event. You don't have to do everything, but please find a way to get involved to make the most of responsible travel. This event is what you make it, what you learn and what you do. Consider it a wake-up call for a healthier 2016.

Make a wishlist of the things you'd like to do, people you'd like to meet, places you'd like to visit. If you're a traveler, what 'responsible travel' options are of greatest interest? If you're a local who receives visitors, what are you most proud of in your community you'd like to share?

Collaborate! In the backchannel (email, private face-to-face chats), talk this over with colleagues and make an announcement or presentation early in the week.

Monday, February 1

Media Day

We answer any questions for your newscast, blog or personal interest. Just tweet questions with the #rtweek16 hashtag or direct it to @ronmader

One of our challenges for Responsible Travel Week 2016 #rtweek16 is to learn how to make the most of live video and livestreaming. We will schedule some 1-1 and small group hangouts for real-time conversation. I'd also encourage those in the field to create your own videos. There are plenty of options, including YouTube, Vimeo and Periscope, what I'd call the app of the year! Tips: http://planeta.wikispaces.com/periscope

What's in it for you? Bottom line: If you want to increase your viewers/audience, just let us know where to find your video with the #rtweek16 hashtag. Faves will be added to the wiki http://planeta.wikispaces.com/rtweek2016

Monday, February 8

Why have a Responsible Travel Week? Because most people who crave responsible travel, practice responsible travel, benefit from responsible travel -- never use the words 'responsible travel.'

This month we are planning a few live video hangouts via Google and YouTube and the periscope app where we plan to visit Cornerstone Park, the Las Vegas Bike Shop @nvbikeped, el Vaquero, the Ethel M Cactus Garden.

Social Web Challenges:
Download and play with the following apps
Facebook
Flickr
Periscope
Google+ Hangouts
YouTube

September 27

November 8

February 2017

Multilingual Announcement

English

Spanish

WHO

Everyone is invited.

Todos estan invitados.

WHEN

2016 Responsible Travel Week takes place Feb 8-14. We suggest participants budget at least one hour/day for participation. It helps if you spend some time prior to Responsible Travel Week for background reading and registration online the social web channels you wish to explore this year.

WHAT

Responsible Travel Week is a live demonstration of social web as an easy and inexpensive means of documenting the challenges and successes of developing responsible tourism. Consider this an unconference. There is a flexible agenda with topics of common interest an an invitation to the participants themselves to show responsible travel in action.

WHY

One of the key objectives of Responsible Travel Week is to create incentives for continuity - we'd really like to hear updates on recent tourism conferences and previews of upcoming events that touch upon the core values of responsible travel. Another key objective is to strengthen relationships with existing contacts and make new friends!

HOW

Tip: Be honest and be public. This is the week where you get to shout out to the world the good things you see around you. Lead the way or follow the topics for which you have interest and passion. Talk food, parks, museums, volunteering, slow travel / local travel. These conversations broaden and deepen our dialogue. Have fun!

Please thank people whose work has inspired you during Responsible Travel Week

Online comment via the social web channels you consulted

On the ground share with colleagues what you learned

Review Hashtag stats

Check your calendar. What RT events were announced?

Social Web
Evaluate participation on social web channels

Facebook: How many people introduced themselves?Flickr: Were albums and galleries were created?Google+ How many people joined and posted?Slideshare: How many views did the presentation receive? Were other RT presentations uploaded?Twitter: How popular was the hashtag?Youtube: Were any RT playlists created?Ron's Blog: Comment on Ron's blog

History

2016 is Planeta.com's 17th year of online conferencing and the eighth year for Responsible Travel Week. We expect the conversations to take a great leap forward thanks to inspired participation from returning participants and those new to online conferencing and responsible travel. Take a peak at what we accomplished during Responsible Travel Weeks in 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009. Each year our discussion has continued to mature as the social web becomes easier to use and responsible travel becomes more trendy!

Back in 2000 we started tinkering with inclusive online conversations focusing on ecotourism. Each year since we've hosted online events. In 2016 we expect our global conversation to take a great leap forward thanks to inspired participation. There are plenty of ways to get involved with local and online events. Inclusion is the key point. We want to make sure that everyone's invited into broader and more localised conversations.

Questions and Answers (Q&A)

What is Responsible Travel?Responsible travel is treating others the way they wish to be treated. It's a variation on the Platinum Rule... it's also good manners. Rephrasing the Cape Town Declaration "Responsible travel creates better places for to live and better places to visit." Good friends agree that responsible travel is a must-have in the growing movement that connects visitors and locals.

What language does Responsible Travel Week use? The primary language of the event is English. We encourage participants to use other languages and to translate 'Responsible Travel' in the local lingo. When sharing news in any language, please use the #rtweek16 hashtag!

Who should participate? Everyone's invited! For visitors, this event is an opportunity to see where to go, how to travel and who to meet. For local tourism leaders and travel businesses, this is free advertising and an opportunity to learn good practices from around the globe. For journalists, authors, bloggers and other media pros, this is an opportunity to scan beyond the horizon for stories and a way to share the news about features you've published. Active participants will be featured on this page and we will be happy to retweet your tweets, add stars to your Flickr photos, like your comments on Facebook, +1 on Google+ and give the thumbs up on YouTube videos.

Why participate? If you are curious about responsible travel, this event lets you explore the topic in depth. It's a catalyst for many to get up to speed on specific topics AND social web channels. If you prepare a bit and budget time during the week, you'll learn a lot. Exemplary performance will be recognized and rewarded. Let's pool our talents and learn together. The more information we share, the easier it is for others to join these efforts.

How much time does it take to participate? This depends entirely on you. If you are presenting a program or tour, then there's considerable preparation time. If you are keen on learning what's taking place around the globe, then there will be time you need to budget for perusing the Twitter feed or watching the Google+ hangouts. If you are casually interested, then it's adviseable to give yourself at least 15-30 minutes/day to consult this wiki page and the exterior links each day.

Who are partners? Partners are listed on this page as those who have expressed a commitment to Responsible Travel Week by staging local events, hosting photo safaris or indigenous language video championship. Bonus points to friends who help edit the wiki.

May I contribute $ to support Responsible Travel Week? - Individual donations and institutional support are welcome.

What are the benefits of Donor ticket holders? Donors receive special acknowledgement.

How much does it cost to participate? - Participation is free. We welcome donors and encourage you to contribute if you can.

What is the difference between Free and Donor tickets? - Hosting this event is a lot of work and we appreciate any financial donation. Donors receive a special acknowledgement on the event wiki.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event? - This registration is for online participation. No printed tickets needed!

Are there ID requirements or an age limit to enter the event? - All ages are welcome. This is an inclusive event.

What can I bring to the event? - Curiosity and generosity. Compassion and passion are also recommended.What are the benefits to general participants? Think low investment, high return. You have the opportunity to gain knowledge and networking. In terms of quantifiable benefits, engaged participants grow the number of Twitter followers and likes on Facebook during Responsible Travel Week. Track the number of new endorsements and recommendations on LinkedIn, views on Slideshare presentations, views or edits on wiki pages.

Why use Google docs and wikis? One of the goals for Responsible Travel Week is to improve overall digital literacy while cultivating communities of interest. The relevant page on the Planeta Wiki will be edited with links to our favorite resources. We also encourage readers to join and edit Wikipedia.

What's new in 2016?

Topical Discussions

Photo Challenge: We want to see photos and artwork inspired by responsible travel

Video Challenge: We want to see videos inspired by responsible travel. Upload to Vine, Vimeo and YouTube

Drone Videos: We want to see videos made with drones and we'll be discussing the do's and don'ts

Social Web Challenge Contest: Award to the individuals and countries using the social web; judged by overall quality as well as individual achievement

New local events in Las Vegas and nearby Henderson. For the third year we're hosting the event from one of the world's most storied cities. Look for early morning photosafaris and soundwalks in Henderson parks.

Fall in love with responsible travel February 8-14 as Planeta.com hosts our eighth annual Responsible Travel Week, a week-long celebration that kicks off the year in fine style. Consider this a reset for 2016.

A great plus: admission is free and there's no jet lag! The unconference takes place online AND around through local events organized by participants. Donors and partners are also welcome! If you see a way to collaborate, let us know.

Donors
We are seeking donors for Responsible Travel Week to help cover the development of training seminars and webinars to carry the conversations forward. Contact Ron Mader for details.

How do participants document responsible travel? Photos and videos are ideal. Show us responsible travel in action. If you cannot create, curate!

I would like to organize a local event, but I don't have time during RT Week. What can I do? You can announce the event during RT Week or simply let others know that a local get-together is in the works. On Twitter, include the hashtag #rtweek16.

Can I volunteer? Editors help us update our directory of official Tourism Portals and reward the countries and cities that make responsible travel a priority. Find the links of specific information and share.

How does this event encourage collaboration? One of the goals of Responsible Travel Week is to encourage collaboration within local and regional communities. We need to find ways out of institutional silos and get people to share information. Toward this goal, we encourage participants to be generous in their words of praise and testimonials for others. It's blue sky thinking, but we'd like to replace finger pointing with recommending positive interactions. Keep an eye on our country contest as we compare how different nations fare when it comes to showcasing specific examples of responsible travel in action.

Why an unconference? Simply put, traditional events have become too organized and boring. Participants discuss their own work or the talking points decided by the organizers. We think participants can organize themselves and the unconference is the ideal approach. Traditional conferences are overly scripted without opportunities to engage one another. While they take place at a specific venue, they fail to engage remote participants watching online. We created the Responsible Travel Week as an inexpensive way to broaden and deepen conversations about travel and tourism. Ron will be updating his blog and storifying tweets about Responsible Travel Week. The point is to explore responsible travel in all its manifestations using the social web.

Can anyone create a local event? Yes! Get people involved and learn together what 'responsible travel' is all about. Organize what you think would work best and simply. Leave the complicated events for later on in the year.

Can I announce news regarding a responsible travel business or tour? Yes! You can talk up your own business or the business of colleagues you respect.

Who can use the #rtweek16 hashtag? Anyone can use the #rtweek16 hashtag to announce relevant resources, videos, podcasts and upcoming events and tours. We recommend that the #rtweek16 hashtag be used to document what you find inspiring during RT Week

Does the hashtag only work on Twitter? Hashtags are most popularly used on Twitter and will be used to help us curate our favorite tweets in the Storify feature on RT Week (https://storify.com/ronmader/rtweek16). This past year hashtags have begun to be used on Facebook and Google+. On Flickr you can use the hashtag to identify posters or relevant photos. Please tag presentations on Slideshare and posts on Wordpress.

Please note that we do not expect that all participants have awesome, state of the day communication skills. Far from it! One of the goals of RT Week is to promote intergenerational connections and connections with friends and colleagues who are most comfortable with analog media. That said, the conference as a whole thrives on participants being digitally articulate. We're not in the same room, folks, so if you want to be heard, you'll need to learn to write an email, a Facebook status update and a tweet. The social web works with repetition and redudancy.

Please answer the following questions yes or no. Are you able to
Save links on your web browser?
Read and send email?
Tweet?
Retweet?
Edit a wiki.
Watch a Google+ hangout?
Participate in a Google+ hangout?
Take a photo with your phone?
Upload a photo from your phone?
Like 'Responsible Travel' on Facebook?

Games, Challenges and Contests

Share a photo: Favorite world crafts (with name of the artisan)
Share a photo: What's cooking in your solar oven?

One of our social web challenges for Responsible Travel Week 2016 #rtweek16 is to learn how to make the most of live video and livestreaming. We will schedule some 1-1 and small group hangouts for real-time conversation. I'd also encourage those in the field to create your own videos. There are plenty of options, including YouTube, Vimeo and Periscope, what I'd call the app of the year! Tips: http://planeta.wikispaces.com/periscope

What's in it for you? Bottom line: If you want to increase your viewers/audience, just let us know where to find your video with the #rtweek16 hashtag. Faves will be added to the wiki http://planeta.wikispaces.com/rtweek2016

You cannot win it if you're not in it!

Nominations please for the cities and countries which are in the vanguard of responsible travel.

Country Spotlight

We are asking for partners (particularly editors) who can help update this table featuring the spotlight wiki pages we've created on the Planeta Wiki for particular countries. We will also compile a entry about the country's travel and nature and an index of our favorite Twitterers.

We are seeking partners to create a spotlight for individual countries, including featured pages on the Planeta Wiki, an index of Twitter favorites and quick summaries of the countries' nature and tourism. What countries would you like to see featured in this way?

Featured are motivational challenges designed to help you be creative (Monday), generous (Tuesday), attentive (Wednesday), curious (Thursday) and empathetic (Friday).

Specific Tips

Everyone - Be inspired and be inspiring. Attitude is everything.Everyone - Be a romantic. What do you love about responsible travel? Share the love.Everyone - Share examples of responsible travel that you have personally experienced. Provide specific examples.Everyone - Be generous. Compliment someone via Twitter, fave a photo or write a testimonial on Flickr, like us on Facebook, give a thumbs up to a video on YouTube. You can even call or greet someone face-to-face!Have your say - Comment on Ron's blogWalk the talk - Practice responsible travel where you are. Take a walk with neighbors and visitors.Be frugal and creative - Make a pop-up museum about responsible travel!Live local - Organize a local Photosafari and/or Green drinksPlay nice! - Use Responsible Travel Week as an opportunity to build healthy relationships at the local AND international levels.Prepare - Budget time and plan now by circling the dates on your calendar: February 8-14.Register - If you'd like to learn how to use social web channels, register online and test out a few before the week begins. Sooner the better!Share - Responsible travel is better with friends.Be creative - Make your own poster or video showing responsible travel in actionFacebook - Introduce yourself on Facebook; Write something kind about someone/something you respect; Like other people's intros and resources; Share the event on your wall; Let us know about relevant groups and pages on Facebook.Flickr - Add photos to the Flickr Groups: City Parks , World Parks , World Food, World Trees, Hyperlocal, Si Más Bicicletas (Yes More Bicycles)Google+ Please circle Planeta.com and join our real-time hangouts.
Persiscope -Twitter - Use the hashtag: #rtweek16 (more info about tags and tagging)YouTube - Upload a video for Responsible Travel Week; create a playlist focusing on responsible travelWikis - Edit the responsible tourism page on Wikipedia; volunteer to edit the Planeta Wiki; share your own wiki

Players

Everyone - Please registerConference organizers - Provide summaries or previews of events featuring responsible travel. Let's get away from silos. Please more reviews and recaps.Government officials - Prepare blogs, tweets, flickr albums and Slideshare presentations about your work in responsible travel. Recap programs and preview events. We challenge city and country leaders to volunteer to edit the Planeta Wiki for the next six months. Work with us on the relevant pages. Here are tips on the requirements of our wiki editors.Bloggers and Journalists - Preview Responsible Travel Week and ask questions that you'd like public feedback. Let us know where you're blogging! During and after RT Week, please report on what you learn, what you write, what you publish. Links are added to the wiki and if you know of RT events we can add them to the calendar.Guidebook Authors, Travel Writers and Publishers - Preview Responsible Travel Week in your blog or twitter account and ask questions that you'd like assistance. Afterwards, please keep us updated on how your books integrate new information generated during RT WeekHotels - Print the calendar and RT Week posters for staff and guests. Create your own local event and announce it as soon as possible. Create a short, lively document about local responsible travel tips that can be placed in guests' rooms. Local tips can also be added to relevant Planeta wiki pages.Students/Teachers - Academics, share news about Responsible Travel Week with your teachers and classmates. Print outd the free posters (below) for your classroom or academic message board. Survey the class before/after RT Week and share the results.Travelers - Question what 'responsible travel' is in practical terms. Share experiences. Use the hashtag and event pages to showcase examples you've found that are beneficial to locals and visitors.Travel companies, guides, hotels, restaurants - If your services are eco- and people-friendly, let the world know. Add photos to Flickr, videos to YouTube and show us specific examples of your work; print the free posters (below) for your business; create your own poster (and submit it to our poster competition!); offer discounts to visitors who mention RTWeek; encourage your clients to use social web to provide testimonials of what you do well; tweet about specific actions and provide links where we can find detailsTrusted colleagues - Editors, please help clarify the text and translate the info on this page; update other Planeta Wiki pages that we can spotlightDonors - Those interested in financially supporting Responsible Travel Week should contact Ron Mader.

Outcomes and Evaluation

Quantitative Goals

Qualitative Goals

We would like to see an increase in the number of people using the hashtag on Twitter and Google+, an increase in the number of views of this page
More views on the Planeta Wiki's pages
More tweets using the hashtag on Twitter
More original presentations and videos from participants
More news stories about responsible travel prior to and during Responsible Travel Week
More translations of 'responsible travel' in other languages

More edits from Planeta Wiki editors prior to and during Responsible Travel Week
More participation from travel companies and language schools featured on Planeta.com

We would like to see editors embedding responsible travel tips on this wiki
We would like to encourage and catalyze collaboration and networking at the local (city, country) and global levels
We would like to see specific tips for locals and visitors
We would like to see guidelines for policymakers
We would like to see information about responsible travel translated into other languages (those interested are cordially invited to use this wiki)
We would like to see examples of curation using social web
To encourage social bridging we would like to see examples of Photo Safaris, Soundwalks, Foamboards and Pop-up Museums

LinkedIn

Flipboard

Google+

Storehouse

Ron's Blog

Questions to be asked

Q. Do official city or country tourism portals have info about 'responsible travel'?
Q. How is 'Responsible Travel Week' translated in other languages?
Q. What's on your audio playlist for those passionate about travel and conservation?
Q. By what measures should we judge a country's success in tourism: Economic? Social? Environmental?
Q. What do you love about responsible travel?
Q. What did you enjoy about Responsible Travel Week?

Poster Challenge

We challenge participants to make their own fan art for RT Week. Use your own images and add 'Responsible Travel Week' and '#rtweek16.' Posters can be in any language, just remember to include the hashtag.

How to make a poster? From paper and cardboard (just take a photo and digitize the results) to electronic software. We use Powerpoint for the official presentation and then save individual pages as artwork jpgs. Bonus points if you include the logos for the social web channels you'll be using.

Buzzword Bingo

(Nerdy fun: Bonus points if you include the following words in your blog posts and tweets!)